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Sounds like you did not have an F800ST first. So you can't comment on direct comparisons, right?

Hello,

I've ridden the ST for about 700 miles or so. It's a lot harder on my wrists, hands & shoulders that the GT is. The seating position is a lot more comfortable on the GT. Many of the ST owners have commented about the less than idyllic seating position. It does offer better wind & element protection than the ST also. However, it is not an RT. The faring is quite a bit smaller. It does present a very unique riding experience. The faring at about 50 mph or so creates a wind pocket. Your instinct would be to try to tuck deeply behind the screen, however when you lean forward just a bit, you drop into this nice body sized pocket of air. Your helmet is still up in the open air though there is not any buffeting through about 85 mph.

I was really surprised that what to me is such a small bike in stature gave such nice protection. I am fortunate to be able to ride many different bikes for extended periods of time. This is just a really pleasant little bike. It does seem to me that the company marketing does market it's similarities to the RT, but I didn't find it that way. It's a really cool bike all on its own. There may be some overlap with the RT, but it's a different bike entirely.

Certainly looked the part of what so many seem to be asking for in a smaller/lighter touring package.

Well, i was one of those who asked for this so I figured I'd better put my money where my mouth was. I bought an Orange one yesterday and it will be delivered Friday. It's still way too cold up here to ride, but it'll be in the barn waiting for global warming to catch up with New Hampshire. If we have another year this year like we did last year, riding season is only weeks away

Besides, I have a feeling these are going to be hard to come by come riding season.

Besides, I have a feeling these are going to be hard to come by come riding season.

I suspect you may be right. Besides older guys like me considering lighter-weight touring bikes, there is also the factor that the price of gasoline right now is even higher than it was last year, and while the F800GT's rating of 69 mpg @ 55 mph might be a bit optimistic, it is still a big selling point.

I was really surprised that what to me is such a small bike in stature gave such nice protection. I am fortunate to be able to ride many different bikes for extended periods of time. This is just a really pleasant little bike. It does seem to me that the company marketing does market it's similarities to the RT, but I didn't find it that way. It's a really cool bike all on its own. There may be some overlap with the RT, but it's a different bike entirely.

Just my .02

It is not a "little" bike! ... sorry but a peeve of mine!

It is just that all the other BMW bikes have gotten so big, most so tall in many cases. Other bike manufactures have also "grown" the size and or seat height of their bikes too...but not as much as BMW.

Just look at the /7 BMWs...the last of the original air heads...the R80, R100 evan the GSs of that era. very similar in size to the F800 series of bikes.

those of us who are a bit older remember the "big" bikes of old the Triumph Bonnieville, or evan the killer Norton Atlas. see one today and sit on it. a small, light bike!!!

remember the bike killer Honda of it's day. Gave the Triumphs and BSA a hard time .. the Honda Super Hawk 305 find one, sit on it...absolutely tiny!!

BMW would like to attract new younger riders....maybe they should build smaller user friendly bikes...then not disparage them in their adds as "girl" bikes.

I suspect you may be right. Besides older guys like me considering lighter-weight touring bikes, there is also the factor that the price of gasoline right now is even higher than it was last year, and while the F800GT's rating of 69 mpg @ 55 mph might be a bit optimistic, it is still a big selling point.

Harry

If it gets mileage like the ST then that is an accurate assessment of it's mileage capabilities. But honeslty buying a 13+ thousand dollar bike isn't a good way to save gas lol.

800 gt

Test rode new 800GT on Sat 2-2-13 agree with first rider on wind blast it made me tired after 85 mi. the wow factor just isnt there for me. It is a wonderfull bike to ride for its handeling it is precise in the turns had ESA and traction control. Suspension is very good on soft you dont feel the tar strips and in sport you can carve the corners.Price was 13,685 wife said I couldnt park the orange in our garrage but the neighbors loved the color. freeway was staight and true tracking at 80 on down. weather was great 72 deg didnt have any wind so cant say much about that. dont like statioary w/s. seat is good but I think it has gell in it and after a stop in sun my butt was hot for the rest of the ride. throttle is very good tracks linear as you turn it no abrupt on off. brakes are ok I'm on a K1300GT which have top of the line brakes. have to stomp on rear for brake on 800 at slow speeds. had heated grips, no cruise control, seating postion sets up same as my K1300GT but wind blast makes you constantly forcing your upper body forward or else you are pulling back on bars. Head was in clean air and very quiet with no buffeting I wear a Nolan 103 hat.no bags on this for this price but it did include the bag mounts. instruments were easy to read and operate. 2 trip ods had tire pressure moniter, out side temp, fuel mi and the instant fuel mi. which brings me to the 49mpg for 85 mi. bike had 0 mi to start so maybe itll get better that was 40 freeway 25 city 20 country I think Ill wait for the new GS

Not too impressed from what I've read/seen

I've read about as much as I can for the 800GT and seen enough pictures to know the dark grey/black would be the color for me but to be honest I've got a difficult time parting with $13,000+ to have a bike thats just about the same as my 800ST. BMW really didn't change all that much for me to sell/trade my 800ST to get the 800GT.
No cruise?....on a GT?
No expandable bags?
Only marginal better wind protection?
Only an extra 5 ponies?
I have this strange sensation that with this 800GT you'll still see your elbows in the mirrors like the 800ST.

As it looks now I guess I'll be keeping my 2007 F800ST with Throttlemeister, expandable bags, ZTECHNIK VSTREAM windshield and SW-MOTECH mirror wideners...

Well, I guess only time will tell if it's the bike for me or not. It usually takes me at least a season with a bike to tell if I love it or hate it. Test rides are nice for an initial impression, but they only tell me if I have enough interest in the bike to really try it. Some stay with me, some don't.

There is a lot of "personal stuff" that goes into the decesion on a new bike. My feeling was that I could live without the cruise control and adjustable windshield. Being mostly a "back road" rider, I can count the number of times I've used the cruise control on one hand. I guess if I spent more time on the multi-lane stuff, I'd feel differently.

And once I find my "sweet spot" for the windshield, I never move it. I've always hated looking thru a windshield, so the one on my RT stays mostly down anyway. So I'll ride this one for a year, tailor the windshield the "old way" if I have to by either adding a laminar lip or by replacing it if I find it a problem. Plus I'd like a little more air flow than I currently get on the RT anyway.

I was more interested in having roughly the same side bag size as the RT and shedding a 100 lbs to get a more agile bike. I've been looking to get back to my touring roots with a bike that feels more like I am riding a bike and less like I'm driving a vechical, so that played into the decesion as well. Plus, since my wife passed away and I'm now back to riding solo, a bigger touring bike is just not necessary for me anymore. If I had a well setup ST or I was coming from a different place, who knows if I would have made the same decesion? If this turns out not to be "my bike" then I'll just go back to the R1200RT when the water cooled ones come out.

If it gets mileage like the ST then that is an accurate assessment of it's mileage capabilities. But honeslty buying a 13+ thousand dollar bike isn't a good way to save gas lol.

It's not really buying a bike to save gas, it's buying a bike with fantastic fuel economy to do really long road trips; at least it would be for me. You can spend twice as much on a Goldwing and get half as many miles per gallon.

I've got a Prius, and I really love getting 50 mpg and better. A motorcycle should get better fuel economy than a car, and the F800GT would do that.

I'll have to test ride an F800GT, see how I like it, and then decide if trading in my '03 RT makes sense to me. I'm also not getting any younger and a smaller bike would be a good thing.

Suspenders and a Belt
Designers and fans of bikes like this assume you are going to wear suspenders and a belt. They see them as complementing the benefit of the other instead of redundant systems.

The assumption is the intended target rider is going to be wearing ATGATT. With this in mind the fairing becomes a wind deflector protecting the legs and torso from wind and rain leaving the head protection to a well fitted helmet. Decreasing the windshield height to the point the head is fully in flow but the shoulders are protected will make you happier for all sorts of reasons. The helmet has to fit properly and the bars must be the right height. Get that combination right, along with cooler but protective gear options and you are in GT sports touring nirvana.

883 Sportster chic bikes v 1200 Manly-Man Sporties
H-D and other manufacturers have realized they could sell a lot of bikes if they could move women from the pillion to the front seat. The 883 Sportster has long been a bike I would never buy but would very happily ride around town any chance I get. H-D advertising made the 883 Sportster its chic bike while the 1200 was still a manly-mans bike. Frankly the spec sheet distinction is lost on me when I ride around town on either. Motorcycle companies need to sell bikes to survive. If some of the advertising casts it as a chic bike, oh well. It is still a decent sized bike with enough power etc for what I have in mind for the class. In the end I am buying a bike not the advertising.

Price
Here I have to agree. The base S1000RR came out in the same price range and seemed like a steal. The GT isn't priced out of consideration but I might be more tempted to get some soft luggage and misc. parts to increase the range of the RR for about the same money.

FD
BMW fixed the shaft drive problem they are having with boxers by not using it on this bike. I too wish they would come up with a solution for my Roadster so the thought of the shaft ending up in a puddle on the side of the road would not haunt me. I won't worry about that on my next bike because it will have a chain. The F,G and RR hold more interest for me at this point for what I am doing when I ride. So thread hijackers I fear your pain but rank you up there with straight piped H-Ds and the 50cc scooter with the rusted pipe that buzzes my neighborhood in the summer ΤΗτ Loud pipes are just LOUD ΤΗτ in my book they don't save lives or make for interesting threads.

I am intrigued by this bike, but I just can't see it being a $13000+ bike. Am I being unrealistic ? Yeah, probably so. I could sell my R1150R and my F650GS and this one bike would probably make a nice compromise, but if it didn't...........